In modern buildings, entry into and exit out of the various rooms of the building is normally achieved with the opening and closing of doors. Such doors typically include a doorknob, door handle or other device that unlatches the door structure from a door jamb or flame. Doorknobs and door handles are typically engaged with bare hands, and as bare hands can carry bacteria and viruses, such bacteria and viruses can thereby be spread to other facility users.
Influenza viruses, for example, are carried on doorknobs and door handles, and according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, such viruses affect 5% to 20% of the U.S. population each year. The CDC also estimates that more than 200,000 people a year are hospitalized due to flu complications, and approximately 36,000 die from influenza related infection. Several viruses, including influenza viruses, can enter the body when hands that have previously touched an infected door assembly also touch the mouth or nose.
This situation is particularly problematic with public bathrooms. Again, entry into and exit out of such rooms is controlled by door knobs employed by all users. However, as those door knobs are used by people after using the facilities of the bathroom, the risk of spreading bacteria and viruses is particularly acute. The psychological component of people simply not wanting to physically touch a bathroom doorknob, for both real and imagined reasons, also weighs heavily on the minds of many users.
One attempt at addressing these concerns is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,521. It discloses a ring of subliminable disinfectant that slowly vaporizes thereby slowly coating the door knob with disinfectant. However, the user must still physically engage the door handle. Aside from the personal displeasure in doing so, the effectiveness of the '521 patent is dependent on the type of disinfectant used which invariably cannot kill all germs, bacteria, and viruses communicated thereto.
Since a variety of potentially harmful bacteria and viruses are regularly exchanged via doorknobs and handles, and given the health risks and concerns associated with such transfers, there is a need to provide devices and methods that can help reduce exposure to high usage items such as doorknobs and door handles that are infected with harmful bacteria, viruses and a host of other potentially dangerous micro-organisms.